Category: ska

We Keep It Simple On Monday With ‘The Best of Reggae & Ska’ and ‘The Original Sixties Rotation’ EP, July 22, 2024

Good morning, musicologists everywhere! We are back to Monday, Monday again and we’ve got some great stuff waiting in the wings!

Here’s your musical lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Best of Reggae & Ska: Various Artists

Time to bust this one out again! We’ll hear Bob Marley & The Wailers, Prince Buster, Desmond Dekker & The Aces, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Judy Mowatt, Laurel Aitken, Marcia Griffiths, Rita Marley, The Jiving Juniors, Derrick Morgan, The I-Threes and many more!

3:00 p.m. The Original Sixties Rotation: Various Artists

One of our original playlists that morphed into a monster and split in two. In this volume you’ll hear The Beatles, The Monkees, Sonny & Cher, Joe Cocker, Simon & Garfunkel, Little Eva, The Everly Brothers, the Searchers, Dusty Springfield, The Drifters, The Dave Clark Five, Johnny Rivers, Bob Dylan, The Animals, Petula Clark, The Rolling Stones, Procol Harum, The Turtles, Del Shannon, The Temptations, James Brown, Fontella Bass, The Box Tops, Blues Image, Booker T & The MG’s, The Four Tops, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Them, The Left Banke, Fats Domino and many more!

Before, in between and all through the night it’s our big, wide Open Stream. And today is no exception. We’re totally free and we’re also totally free of commercial advertising. Use the button below.

Monday, Monday.

We’re at Midweek With Our ‘Travelin’ Fever’ EP, Desmond Dekker, and Dylan Live at Budokan, Wednesday, July 10, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! We’re at midweek and we’ve got a great lineup that includes music about a travelin’ jones, The King of Ska (Desmond Dekker) and Dylan live at Budokan.

Here’s your midweek musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Travelin’ Fever: Various Artists

Yeah. Plenty of songs about traveling and hitting the road out there with help from Canned Heat, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Box Tops, Arlo Guthrie, The Allman Brothers Band, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, The Doors, Tom Rush, The Byrds, Little Feat, The Band, Willie Nelson, Edwin Starr, The Traveling Wilburys, Del Shannon, Janis Joplin, Ray Charles, The Doobie Brothers, The Guess Who, Bob Dylan, The Eagles, Carole King, Cream and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: Desmond Dekker (& The Aces)

This afternoon we’ve got The King of Ska, Desmond Dekker, In The Spotlight!

8:00 p.m. Bob Dylan Live at Budokan, Tokyo, Japan, February 28 & March 1, 1978

We close out the programming with Bob Dylan live at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.

We’re never off the air (except in the case of an unforeseen weather event, which we’ve never had) and we’re totally free of charge 24/7. There’s no commercial advertising or DJ’s who don’t know when to #ShutTheFuckUp either. Just hit the button below to see for yourselves.

It’s Midweek Madness!

‘The Best of Reggae & Ska’, ‘Soulsville, USA’ and ‘Live’ Mudcrutch Are All On Tap For Monday, May 20, 2024

Good morning, workforce! We’re all back at it for another week and we aim to start it off on a great note with a pretty eclectic lineup!

Here’s your Monday, Monday lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Best of Reggae & Ska: Various Artists

We love this playlist, but it’s a first pass. We are poised for expansion and, perhaps, splitting it into two volumes, but I digress. You will hear Bob Marley & The Wailers, Prince Buster, Desmond Dekker (with and without The Aces), Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Judy Mowatt, Laurel Aitken, Marcia Griffiths, Rita Marley, The Jiving Juniors, Derrick Morgan and more!

4:00 p.m. Soulsville, USA: The Music of Stax Records

There’s Motown and then there’s Stax, where the ‘house’ band was the great Booker T & The MG’s. In addition to Booker T, you’ll hear Albert King, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, The Staple Singers, Carla Thomas, Eddie Floyd, Isaac Hayes, The Dramatics and more. By the way, the Stax documentary produced by HBO begins streaming today!

7:00 p.m. Mudcrutch Live at The Fonda Theater, Hollywood, CA, June 26, 2016

We’ve got a Mudcrutch Monday on tap today as we give you their live performance from the band’s great 2016 tour. Still kicking myself for missing them at Boston’s House of Blues, but at least I have this!

Yes, it’s Monday and Mondays suck in general, but they don’t have to. Just join us here. We’ll make your life better. And we’re free.

Soulsville, USA!

The Byrds at The Fillmore, Volume Two of ‘Repeat After Me’ and Toots & The Maytals Are All On Tap, Friday, May 3, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! We continue on with Fillmore Week, give you volume two of ‘Repeat After Me’ and a Toots & The Maytals Spotlight feature.

Here’s your Friday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Repeat After Me, Volume Two: Various Artists

We’ve got volume two on tap with Joe Cocker covering The Box Tops, Kate Taylor covering The Four Tops, The Traveling Wilburys covering Del Shannon, Johnny Winter covering Bob Dylan, The Who covering Eddie Cochran, and more. You get the drill.

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Toots & The Maytals

I sometimes feel that Toots Hibbert gets short shrift in the world or Reggae, but the Maytals were around from the early sixties and were instrumental in helping to push Reggae into the consciousness of the mainstream music lover.

8:00 p.m. FILLMORE WEEK! The Byrds Live at The Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA, February 7-8, 1969

One of the most iconic bands in all of music (imo) is on tap for this evening in a Fillmore performance as we continue on Fillmore Week.

In fact, we’re making Fillmore Week eight days a week so that we can get our final entry in on Monday. But that’s for us to know and for you to find out. That means you’ll just have to listen and stay engaged. The button’s below.

Fillmore Week Continues!

It’s Sunday and The Ladies Own the Morning, Followed by The I-Threes and Some ‘Live’ ELO, April 28, 2024

Good morning, musicologists and welcome to another Sunday in The Mermaid Lounge where the music is free and the living is easy. The ladies rule the morning and early afternoon.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Ladies Day Out: Various Artists

The ladies are back to rule The Lounge this morning with Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Carly Simon, Emmylou Harris, Petula Clark, Laura Nyro, Cilla Black, Irma Thomas, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Etta James, Janis Joplin, Carole King, Maria Muldaur, Lucinda Williams, Rosanne Cash, Eva Cassidy, Wendy Waldman, Shawn Colvin, The Ronettes, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Norah Jones, Phoebe Snow, Nicolette Larson, Sheryl Crow, Susan Tedeschi, Dusty Springfield, Valerie Carter, Dolly Parton and more!

4:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The I-Threes

Without a doubt the most influential all-woman Reggae band is In The Spotlight this afternoon. The I-Threes are Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, and Judy Mowatt.

8:00 p.m. The Electric Light Orchestra Live at The Paris Theatre, London, UK, April 19, 1973

Jeff Lynne’s ELO (not what they were called back in the day; but it is now) is here to close out the programming for today with a great live show at The Paris Theatre. They are on the road now for their farewell tour, and blow through Boston in September.

Join us on this fine, sunny Sunday (at least it is here for the moment) as we play the best music on the planet 24/7, free of charge and free from commercial advertising.

Sunday Funday!

Saturday is For ‘Water, Water Everywhere’, Bob Marley & The Wailers and The Stone Poneys, April 13, 2024

Good morning, music lovers and welcome to the official weekend, brought to you by the Labor Movement. We’ve got a great lineup for you today for sure, so stick around.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Water, Water Everywhere: Various Artists

Water is a popular topic in all its forms. Just ask Paul McCartney, Deep Purple, Joe Cocker, Simon & Garfunkel, The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Otis Redding, The Doobie Brothers, Valerie Carter, Bob Dylan, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Al Green, Loggins & Messina, Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, Linda Ronstadt, Spirit, The Grass Roots, The Beach Boys, Lindisfarne, Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Carole King, Tom Rush, Donovan, America, Johnny Rivers and more!

4:00 p.m. Bob Marley & The Wailers Live at Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany, June 13, 1980

There are only two Jamaican musicians in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. Jimmy Cliff is one. This guy is the other; the man who made Reggae accessible to the entire world. Today we’ve got him recorded live in Dortmund for Rockpalast.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The Stone Poneys Featuring Linda Ronstadt

Who knew that when she left Tuscon and went out to L.A. to hang out and make music with Bobby Kimmel and Kenny Edwards that she would turn into the Queen of Rock for two solid decades. This evening we’ve got the beginnings of the amazing career of Linda Ronstadt.

Join us today as we spread the musical around the globe freely. We’re all about the music. There’s not much chatter. There is no commercial advertising. And there’s no need for your credit card or personal information. Give us a try.

Water, Water Everywhere!

We Begin Anew With Emmylou Harris, The Best of Reggae & SKA and Music From ‘The Queens’, Monday, April 1, 2024

Good morning, music lovers! It may be April Fool’s Day, but we’re not fooling around here in The Mermaid Lounge. After a day off from programming we’re back with some great programming selections!

Here’s your April Fools Day lineup:

10:00 a.m. Emmylou Harris With The Daniel Lanois Band Live at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, UK, November 23, 1995

On her eighteenth studio album, Wrecking Ball, Emmylou Harris moved away from her traditional acoustic sound to work with Daniel Lanois. I don’t need to write a trove of stuff here when you can read this great review from Pitchfork. We start the day with her live performance with The Daniel Lanois band in 1995. Hear it for yourself.

2:00 p.m. The Best of Reggae & Ska: Various Artists

We will be expanding this soon, but for now it’s a pretty damned good playlist. You’ll hear Bob Marley & The Wailers, Prince Buster, Desmond Dekker & The Aces, Laurel Aitken, Derrick Morgan, Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh, Judy Mowatt, Bunny Wailer, Rita Marley, The Rhythm Aces, Marcia Griffiths, the Jiving Juniors and more!

7:00 p.m. Long Live The Queens: Various Artists

Haven’t spun this one for a while, but we give you Koko Taylor (The Queen of The Blues), Aretha Franklin (The Queen of Soul), Irma Thomas (The Soul Queen of New Orleans), and Linda Ronstadt (The Queen of Rock) all in one very enjoyable playlist. Don’t miss it.

Time flies when you’re having fun, and we are having fun here in The Mermaid Lounge. It’s already April and we’re easing into a new approach here and we’ll be adding new artists that have been on the waiting list for a while. Keep us tuned in.

Spring Is In the Air

Linda Ronstadt’s Final AOW, ‘Folk Music From A-to-Z’ and a Jimmy Cliff Spotlight on Sunday, March 24, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! It’s Sunday in The Lounge and we have our final AOW in the series today, along with our ‘Folk Music From A-to-Z’ EP and Jimmy Cliff later.

Here are your Sunday Funday programs:

10:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Heart Like A Wheel by Linda Ronstadt NEW!

This album was one of the very first we featured back in 2019, and it’s our final AOW as we’ll be using the slot for other programming. This album turns 50 this year, and it stands the test of time. Ronstadt’s fifth studio album was her final for Capitol Records and the album that finally put her on the map. There was no turning back. The rest is music history.

12:00 p.m. Folk Music From A-To-Z: Various Artists

I remember the great folk music revival of the sixties, much centered around the Greenwich Village area. However, folk has a long history and was the catalyst for protest music. You’ll hear Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, John Prine, Dave Van Ronk, Odetta, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Arlo Guthrie, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, The Band, Eric Andersen, Tom Rush, Judy Collins, Nanci Griffith, Jesse Winchester, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Lead Belly, Tim Hardin, The Kingston Trio, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, Phil Ochs, Townes Van Zandt, The Carter Family, Neil Young and more!

8:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Jimmy Cliff

Jimmy Cliff is a reggae, ska, rocksteady, soul singer, musician and multi-instrumentalist. He is the only living reggae musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honor that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievements in the arts and sciences. Tonight we have him In the Spotlight.

So, yes, this is our final Album of The Week, although we will interject albums into our programming on whim. We have so much music and so many playlists that we need to open up some breathing room for them. You won’t be disappointed as we move forward.

Sunday Funday!

It’s Friday! We’ve Got the ‘Friends of Mine’ EP, Tom Petty’s Final Turn, and Bob Marley Live at The Roxy, March 1, 2024

Beware the Ides of March…unless you’re hanging out here in The Mermaid Lounge where the living is easy and the music is magnificent. We’re kicking off the month in style.

Here’s your end-of-the-work-week lineup:

9:00 a.m. Friends of Mine: Various Artists

We’re taking this one off the back burner today. You’ll hear both the good and bad sides of friendship from The Guess Who, Willie Nelson, War, The Beach Boys, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Todd Rundgren, Linda Ronstadt, Queen, REM, Simon & Garfunkel, John Prine, Carole King, Grateful Dead, Lou Reed, Robert Johnson, Hank Williams, The Kinks, Joan Baez, The Beatles, Carly Simon, Tracy Nelson, The Byrds, Desmond Dekker, Jackson Browne, Steppenwolf, Elton John, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Otis Redding Maria Muldaur, Argent and more.

4:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Tom Petty FINAL AIRING!

Today is the final airing of our favorite Tom Petty songs as a solo artist, and with The Heartbreakers, The Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. The best of his generation.

8:00 p.m. Bob Marley & The Wailers Live at The Roxy, West Hollywood, CA, March 26, 1976

The Legend drops by this evening to close out the programming with a fine performance from The Roxy.

Well, here we are on the final workday of the week (for some of us, but not all). Either way, we are on the weekend’s doorstep. We’ll help you get over the final hurdle today.

Just Push Play. Ok?

The Week’s End Brings ‘The Best of Reggae & Ska’, Dan Fogelberg and ‘Live’ Bob Dylan in ’63, Friday, February 2, 2024

Good morning, Dylan historians. We close out the week with some brand new Bob Dylan in a historic concert right here in my state! Read on!

Here’s your Friday musical lineup:

9:00 a.m.  The Best of Reggae & Ska: Various Artists

We start the day off with some great reggae, ska and rocksteady with Bob Marley & The Wailers, Prince Buster, Judy Mowatt, Jimmy Cliff, Basil Gabbidon, The Rhythm Aces, Derrick Morgan, Laurel Aitken, Toots & The Maytals, Count Lasher, The Jiving Juniors, Marcia Griffiths, Rita Marley, Desmond Decker & The Aces, The I-Threes, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh and more!

4:00 p.m.  Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Dan Fogelberg FINAL AIRING!

Dan Fogelberg gets his final airing as our featured singer-songwriter for the week, but his music is in our standard rotation and you’ll hear him frequently here. A new artist will be introduced on Monday!

8:00 p.m.  Bob Dylan Live at The First Brandeis Folk Festival, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, May 10, 1963 NEW!

It is said that this was Bob Dylan’s final show before stardom; happening two weeks before the release of The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. Dylan (21 years old at the time) performed two seven-song sets on that day, and they were recorded. The tapes sat for half a century in the basement of Rolling Stone co-founder Ralph Gleason. Yes, it’s just seven songs, but it’s musical history in the making.

Join us today. I don’t mind telling you that, not only are we missing our winters here, but this year it has been like moving to London. It’s yet another unseasonably warm, cloudy dreary day. But it seems like, on the horizon, we have some sun coming for an extended period. Just. No. Snow. And that ain’t right in these parts.

Dylan at Brandeis ’63